HB 397-ELIMINATE VACANT STATE POSITIONS  3:48:10 PM CHAIR SHAW announced that the only order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 397, "An Act relating to eliminating vacant positions in the classified and partially exempt service of the state; and providing for an effective date." CHAIR SHAW explained that on 4/30/24 the committee had considered amendments and reported [CSHB 397(STA)] out of committee, and today the committee would rescind its action on one of the amendments it had adopted and report the bill out of committee once again. 3:48:44 PM REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT moved to rescind the committee's action in reporting CSHB 397(STA) out of committee on 4/30/24. 3:49:01 PM REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK objected. 3:49:08 PM REPRESENTATIVE STORY requested an explanation. 3:49:19 PM The committee took an at-ease from 3:49 p.m. to 3:55 p.m. 3:55:41 PM BUDDY WHITT, Staff, Representative Laddie Shaw, Alaska State Legislature, explained the reason for rescinding the committee's action on reporting CSHB 397(STA) out of committee on 4/30/24 was because the committee had adopted Amendment 4, as amended, which had triggered a fiscal note, where once there had been an attached zero fiscal note. 3:57:21 PM REPRESENTATIVE STORY said, "I maintained my objection." 3:57:30 PM A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Wright, Carpenter, C. Johnson, Allard, and Shaw voted in favor of the motion to rescind the committee's action in reporting CSHB 397(STA) out of committee on 4/30/24. Representatives Carrick and Story voted against it. Therefore, the motion passed by a vote of 5-2. 3:58:09 PM REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT moved to rescind the committee's action in adopting Amendment 4, labeled 33LS-1551\A.4, A. Radford, 4/25/24, as amended, to HB 397, as amended. REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK objected. She expressed appreciation for the committee's cooperative work on HB 397 at its prior hearing but said there is need for vetting the bill more thoroughly and potentially offer further amendments on it. She opined that an amendment having generated a fiscal note should not undo the work of the committee. 3:59:33 PM REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD thanked Representative Carpenter for "bringing this forward." 4:00:00 PM REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER said he does not disagree with the statement from Representative Carrick but said he must support undoing [adoption of Amendment 4, as amended]. 4:00:40 PM REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK maintained her objection. 4:00:43 PM A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Wright, Carpenter, C. Johnson, Allard, and Shaw voted in favor of the motion to rescind the committee's action in [adopting Amendment 4, as amended, to HB 397, as amended]. Representatives Story and Carrick voted against it. Therefore, the adoption of Amendment 4, as amended, was rescinded by a vote of 5-2. 4:01:17 PM CHAIR SHAW announced that the motion to adopt Amendment 4, as amended, was once again before the committee, and he stated an objection. 4:01:28 PM The committee took a brief at-ease at 4:01 p.m. 4:01:59 PM CHAIR SHAW maintained his objection. A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Carrick and Story voted in favor of Amendment 4, as amended. Representatives Wright, Carpenter, C. Johnson, Allard, and Shaw voted against it. Therefore, Amendment 4, as amended, failed to be adopted by a vote of 2-5. 4:02:47 PM REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT moved to report HB 397, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal notes. REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK objected 4:03:15 PM The committee took a brief at-ease at 4:03 p.m. 4:03:24 PM REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK spoke to her objection. She reiterated her prior statement that the bill needs more vetting. 4:04:11 PM The committee took a brief at-ease at 4:04 p.m. 4:04:32 PM A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Allard, Wright, Carpenter, C. Johnson, and Shaw voted in favor of the motion to report HB 397, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal notes. Representatives Carrick and Story voted against it. Therefore, CSHB 397(STA) was reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee by a vote of 5-2.